and was sitting in the shade of the verandah with young D., my assistant.  One policeman first came up, presented the summons, which I took, and he then stated that it was a warrant for the production of my moonshee, and that he must take him away at once.  I told the man it was merely a summons, requiring the attendance of the moonshee on a certain date, to give evidence in the case.  He was very insolent in his manner.  It is customary when a Hindoo of inferior rank appears before you, that he removes his shoes, and stands before you in a respectful attitude.  This man’s headdress was all disarranged, which in itself is a sign of disrespect.  He spoke loudly and insolently; kept his shoes on; and sat down squatting on the grass before me.  My assistant was very indignant, and wanted to speak to the man; but rightly judging that the object was to enrage me, and trap me into committing some overt act, that would be afterwards construed against me, I kept my temper, spoke very firmly but temperately, told him my moonshee was doing some work of great importance, that I could not spare his services then, but that I would myself see that the summons was attended to.  The policeman became more boisterous and insolent.  I offered to give him a letter to the magistrate, acknowledging the receipt of the summons, and I asked him his own name, which he refused to give.  I asked him if he could read, and he said he could not.  I then asked him if he could not read, how could he know what was in the paper which he had brought, and how he knew my moonshee was the party meant.  He said a chowkeydar had told him so.  I asked where was the chowkeydar, and seeing from my coolness and determination that the game was up, he shouted out, and from round the corner of the huts came another policeman, and two village chowkeydars from a distance.  They had evidently been hiding, observing all that passed, and meaning to act as witnesses against me, if I had been led by the first scoundrel’s behaviour to lose my temper.  The second man was not such a brute as the first, and when I proceeded to ask their names and all about them, and told them I meant to report them to their superintendent, they became somewhat frightened, and tried to make excuses.

I told them to be off the premises at once, offering to take the summons, and give a receipt for it, but they now saw that they had made a mistake in trying to bully me, and made off at once.  Mark the sequel.  The day before the case was fixed on for hearing, I sent off the moonshee who was a witness of my own, and his evidence was necessary to my proving my case.  I supplied him with travelling expenses, and he started.  On his way to the Court he had to pass the thanna, or police-station.  The police were on the watch.  He was seized as he passed.  He was confined all that night and all the following day.  For want of his evidence I lost my case, and having thus achieved one part of their object to pay me off, they let my